Before initiating naltrexone therapy, the patient should be opiate-free for 7-14 days and have which test performed?

Study for the BIPC Substance Abuse and Disorders Exam. Challenge yourself with a variety of questions to enhance your knowledge and strengthen your preparation. Each question comes with hints and explanations to help you understand and retain crucial information.

Multiple Choice

Before initiating naltrexone therapy, the patient should be opiate-free for 7-14 days and have which test performed?

Explanation:
Ending opioid use and checking liver health are the key steps before starting naltrexone. Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors, so if opioids are still present, it can trigger withdrawal. Ensuring the patient has been opioid-free for about 7–14 days helps prevent that precipitated withdrawal. At the same time, assessing liver function is essential because naltrexone can affect the liver. Baseline liver function tests give a safety check and provide a reference for monitoring during treatment. A urine drug screen complements this by confirming there isn’t recent opioid use, supporting the decision to begin naltrexone. Other tests like a full blood count, CT scan, or EEG don’t directly address opioid abstinence or liver safety before starting naltrexone, so they aren’t routinely indicated for this purpose.

Ending opioid use and checking liver health are the key steps before starting naltrexone. Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors, so if opioids are still present, it can trigger withdrawal. Ensuring the patient has been opioid-free for about 7–14 days helps prevent that precipitated withdrawal.

At the same time, assessing liver function is essential because naltrexone can affect the liver. Baseline liver function tests give a safety check and provide a reference for monitoring during treatment. A urine drug screen complements this by confirming there isn’t recent opioid use, supporting the decision to begin naltrexone.

Other tests like a full blood count, CT scan, or EEG don’t directly address opioid abstinence or liver safety before starting naltrexone, so they aren’t routinely indicated for this purpose.

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